Police in India have arrested four members of a family after they secretly gave a pregnant daughter-in-law an abortion-inducing drug disguised as cold medicine, causing her to miscarry. The in-laws had pressured the woman to terminate her pregnancy, and when she refused, they carried out the deception.
According to the Times of India, police in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, indicted four people — including the husband and his parents — on charges of covertly administering a miscarriage-inducing drug and related offenses on June 10, local time.
The victim, Manju Devi, 30, married her husband Krishna Kumar in March 2019. Almost immediately after the marriage, her husband and his family demanded additional dowry — including a car and 300,000 rupees (approximately $3,140) — and subjected her to physical and mental abuse.
The crime took place when Manju Devi was three months pregnant.
After she refused demands to abort the pregnancy, the family told her the abortion pill was a fever-reducing cold medicine and gave it to her. She then suffered severe bleeding and miscarried.
Local police booked four people — the husband, his parents and a brother-in-law — on charges of assault and violations of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, in April the husband and his family beat Manju Devi and forcibly expelled her from the home after again demanding dowry.
yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com
